By IANS,
New Delhi: The Footwear Design and Development Institute (FDDI), which is run by the central government, is ready with four new campuses across India at an investment of Rs.384 crore, the institute said Monday.
The four new campuses at Chennai, Kolkata, Rohtak (Haryana) and Chhindwara (Madhya Pradesh) would have an intake of 1,500 students and start operating from the coming academic session.
“Each campus will offer graduate and post-graduate diploma in Management – Footwear Technology, Retail Management, Creative Designing and Leather Goods and Accessories Design. On an average, about 60 students will be admitted in one particular course,” FDII secretary Shashi Bhusan Shukla said.
Shukla said the footwear design industry is growing fast and grew by 15 percent even during the recession. He said the industry exports would reach “$7 billion by 2012 from the current $3.3 billion”.
He said India is the second largest global producer of footwear after China, accounting for 14 percent of global footwear production but added that it still lacks skilled and professional manpower.
“We focus to fill this gap of demand and supply by training world class professionals with world class academic training,” he said.
FDDI, under the jurisdiction of the commerce ministry, already has two campuses at Noida and Fursatgunj – both in Uttar Pradesh.